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Pilates Band

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The Pilates Band - Faq - All You Need To Know And More

The Pilates band makes normal Pilates exercises more efffective and challenging and it will firm you up faster

Are you a Pilates fan?

If you are a fan of Pilates or you want to become an avid Pilates practicer, you are probably looking into extra Pilates equipment to make your Pilates workouts more fun and to add extra resistance for more of a challenge.

The 5 Best Pilates Exercise Bands:

Here are the cream of the crop of Pilates bands. They are your best bet when it comes to Pilates bands and are also excellent value for money.

  • 1. Everlast for Her Pilates aerobic band
  • 2. The Firm Pilates Bands
  • 3. Stott Pilates Flex-Band Regular Strength
  • 4. J Fit Resistance Exercise Bands (Set of 4) - Excellent value for money
  • 5. Pilates Dynaband exercise physical therapy bands
Other Pilates equipment

Some Pilates equipment can offer extra support, while others make it easier to do Pilates. A Pilates video can help you to make Pilates more practical and easier and Pilates rings and machines can add extra resistance while guiding your through the moves.

The Pilates exercise band

The Pilates band is also one of those Pilates tools that add extra resistance and that will exercise your muscles more effectively while adding a gentle stretch.

The basic elements of proper Pilates

To practice effective Pilates however, it is very important to understand the basic elements of proper Pilates. Lets look at what they are first before moving onto the Pilates band.

A Brief History Of Pilates

Pilates was founded in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. He used it to rehabilitate war veterans. It became so popular that it caught on with the rest of the world and Pilates was practiced as an regular exercise method by nearly 11 million people in 2005. The Pilates trend is still growing and people worldwide are discovering the benefits of Pilates everyday.

What Are The 6 Basic Elements Of An Effective Pilates Bands Workout?

1. Proper breathing - This is the one of the most important thing to get right while practising Pilates, especially when using a Pilates band. Incorrect breathing means that you are not doing your exercise correctly.

2. Centered movements - Every movement should originate from your core (your abs, hip flexors, buttocks and lower back muscles)

3. Proper Control - Proper muscle control should be made. You should make sure not to jerk your muscles, but to control it.

4. Precision - Your movements should be made to almost perfection. So practice, practice, practice.

5. Flow and efficiency - Your movements should flow one after the other - one movement fluently following the next.

6. Intense Concentration - There should be an intense focus on your Pilates band exercise, and each move should be done with concentration on the specific movement.

Let's get down to business:

Now that the basic Pilates principals are fresh in your mind, let's look at a great tool you can use to enhance your Pilates workout by adding resistance. In the rest of this article, I'll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Pilates band.

What We Will Look At:

We'll start by looking at

  • What the Pilates band is
  • It's benefits
  • Tips for using Pilates bands and
  • Then we'll look at the best types of Pilates resistance bands there are, together with some great Pilates band videos to consider.

What Is A Pilates Band?

A Pilates stretch band is a resistance band that is used in the practice of Pilates. It comes in different resistances, colours and sizes. You get light resistance bands for the absolute beginner and medium Pilates bands for intermediate fit person. You also get an intense or extra resistance Pilates band for when your muscles need extra work. Some of these Pilates bands even come with handles, and some of them have free DVDs or instructional cards with them.

How Do I Know What Resistance Pilates Band Is Right For Me?

A light or medium resistance band will be fine for most people (beginner to intermediate). If you are a bit more advanced, you can try out a heavy resistance band. As a general rule, your Pilates band shouldn't be too heavy and it shouldn't be too light either. Most people's lower body requires a heavier resistance than their upper bodies.

Look for Pilates exercise bands that comes in a pack of 3 or four with varying resistances. That way you can adjust your resistance according to your fitness level and also the body area that you are exercising.

What Are The Benefits Of Doing Exercises With Pilates Bands?

Pilates exercise bands have numerous benefits, lets look at a few of them:

  • It can be used in and outdoors (unlike heavy machines).
  • It is relatively inexpensive and it is also compact (pack up and go)
  • It offers limb support - This means your legs and arms are supported instead of it just hanging in the air.
  • It strengthens and lengthens your muscles
  • It is a great stretching tool
  • It offers extra resistance - more effective than mat work alone
  • It makes some exercises easier to do than without
  • Its a super fun workout
  • It can be stored easily
  • You can take it any where you want to practice Pilates - on the beach, in nature - even at work!

What Pilates Stretch Band Exercises Are There?

A Pilates band can be used to do exercises for your whole body. You can use it to tone and strengthen each and every body part. It is also great for improving flexibility.

For some of the exercises you would need a Pilates ball and band. You then use the ball to drape the Pilates band around to enable you to do chest and back exercises and even shoulder exercises more effectively than without it.

What Do I Need To Know Before I Buy A Pilates Band?

  • Learn how to exercise correctly with your Pilates band before buying it, or make sure that you buy a illustrative manual or Pilates band video/DVD with it.
  • Check the resistance on the Pilates band - make sure it suits your fitness level
  • Make sure your Pilates resistance band is long enough - buy at least 8 inches in excess of your height
  • Check if you are allergic to latex - most of the Pilates bands are made from latex, but you do get some that are non-latex.

What Precautions Do I Need To Take Before Using My Pilates Band?

In order to avoid injuries and to get the maximum use from your Pilates band, you have to make sure that you do the following things right:

  • Warm up thoroughly before your workout - a brisk walk or a run on the spot will help to warm your muscles up and help you avoid excess stiffness.
  • Make sure that you move and conduct the exercise in a smooth and fluent way - don't jerk the band up or down.
  • Implement everyday objects into your workout - think poles, playground equipment, benches, exercise balls and such.
  • Make sure you properly stretch your muscles after you have worked them

There are a few popular Pilates bands on the market - varying in resistance level, shapes and colours.

Let's look at the best Pilates bands:

Everlast for Her Pilates aerobic band

The Everlast Pilates fitness band is one of the most popular Pilates bands. It is specially designed for women. Let's look at the particulars of this Pilates band:
  • Resistance: Regular
  • Grip: Handles
  • Material : Heavy-duty latex
  • Extras: Includes a 1 year warranty and a fitness guide. It also has a safety strap.

The Firm Pilates Band

The Firm Pilates band is also a very popular choice. You get 3 different types of the Firm Pilates bands. These are:

The product specification for these bands are:

  • Resistance: Light, medium and heavy
  • Grip: No handles
  • Material : Latex
  • Dimensions: 10 x 6 x 2.5 inches; 1 pounds
  • Extras: 30 minute instruction video

Stott Pilates Flex-Band Regular Strength

This resistance band, stimulates the spring tension of the Pilates Reformer. You can watch the Pilates Band Video Review by clicking its link.

Lets look at its particulars.

  • Resistance(s): Regular
  • Grip: No handles
  • Material : Natural rubber latex
  • Length:6.5 ft

J Fit Resistance Exercise Bands (Set of 4)

This latex free Pilates band is the perfect solution if you need different resistance Pilates bands. It comes out in a pack of four with varying resistances to adjust the tension as you progress. It is also one of the only Pilates bands that is Latex free - good for Latex sensitive fitness bunnies.

  • Resistance(s): Light, medium, heavy and extra heavy.
  • Grip: Handles
  • Material : Latex-free
  • Extras: fitness guide (depending where you buy)

Pilates Dynaband exercise physical therapy bands

These are some of the cheapest Pilates bands. They are also wider than regular Pilates bands, so it may improve the comfort level of usage. Let look at it's details:

  • Resistance: Light (You also get medium and heavy resistance)
  • Grip: No handles
  • Colour : Pink

Other Pilates systems and bands:

Pilates Band Accessories - A Look At Pilates Video And Dvd (Amazon)

Here is a short summary of the best Pilates videos available:

  • 10 Minute Solution: Slim and Sculpt Pilates-with Pilates Band (2007) - You get a free band with this DVD. There are 5 Pilates band workouts each only 10 minutes long each. Great for when you are short of time (all you busy bodies).
  • Pilates Band Workout - This DVD has beginner to advanced workouts. It aims to do the same movements as the Pilates Reformer.
  • Pilates Bodyband Challenge (2006) - This Pilates video is perfect for when you need and a challenge. You also get a free Pilates resistance band with. This is a 40 minute workout, aiming to also teach you how to breath correctly and deeper.

Conclusion

From all the different Pilates tools and equipment out there, the Pilates band is by far my favourite. No other piece of exercise equipment offers the same workout as a Pilates band. It offers excellent toning and firming, all while also lengthening and stretching your muscles.

If you want a fun, versatile and effective Pilates workout, I would suggest you check out the Pilates band.

If that doesn't float your boat, check out these other Pilates resources:

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